Summary Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will unveil the new National Women's Empowerment Policy today.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – International Women’s Day is being celebrated today (Tuesday) across the globe, including Pakistan. The motive behind observing this day is to provide information to the people about women rights and highlight their importance in the society, reported Dunya News.
The 2016 theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality‘.
Women‘s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.
NATIONAL WOMEN‘S EMPOWERMENT POLICY
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will unveil the new National Women‘s Empowerment Policy on Tuesday.
This was stated by Prime Minister‘s Special Adviser in an interview in Islamabad. He said the policy is being announced on the International Women‘s Day.
The adviser said the new policy will ensure social rights and financial stability of women and will extend maximum facilities to them at the workplace.
SPEECHES AND MESSAGES
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Human Rights Barrister Zafarullah said Pakistan is committed to take all possible measures to ensure provision of safe environment to women in the country.
He said protection of rights of women, children, minorities and persons with disabilities had been given the priority in the action plan.
In her message, Chairperson Benazir Income Support Program Marvi Memon said BISP is the largest stakeholder in women empowerment in Pakistan by giving five point two million of the poorest women quarterly stipends of four thousand seven hundred rupees.
Separately, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message stated: “We have shattered so many glass ceilings we created a carpet of shards. Now we are sweeping away the assumptions and bias of the past so women can advance across new frontiers.”
UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said: “Each one of us is needed - in our countries, communities, organizations, governments and in the United Nations—to ensure decisive, visible and measurable actions are taken under the banner: Planet 50-50: Step It Up for Gender Equality.”
ABOUT IWD
The United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March during International Women’s Year 1975. Two years later, in December 1977, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions.
International Women’s Day first emerged from the activities of labour movements at the turn of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe.
Since those early years, International Women’s Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. The growing international women’s movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations women’s conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point to build support for women’s rights and participation in the political and economic arenas.
Increasingly, International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.
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